The truth is

1- My file "To post" is about to make my computer explode. Et non, I did not forget you. I keep thinking about the blog, taking lots of pictures, plating things that would normally go directly inside a tupperware, buying extra cute dishes for photography...

2- Unfortunately, I take time to cook, to take pictures, even to write down the ingredients (big improvement already!!!), but not to write the entire recipe to give it to you. Confession : I always plan more things than I have time to do, and because the recipe writing isn't on top, it always get squeezed. And that I need to change, my friends!

3- My "To post" file isn't helping : the longer a recipe stays in, the less likely it will eventually come out of it. No matter how enthusiastic I was about it. Even if I only did it for you. Maybe it works like in The Neverending Story. Maybe we should blame the Nothing, and my lack of confidence in this.

So, let's break the spell and start with some very seasonal produces.

Don't you love going to the farmers market and seeing everywhere little proofs of spring? The vibrant colours of fresh radishes, the small and tender carrots with their abundant green top. The wonderful smell of lilacs at the flower shop. And of course, the first sight of the rhubarb pinkish stalks. Even the grey sky did not stand a chance against those evidences!

Once home, after some small prep work, it's time to decide how to manage all these...

First, I roasted the rhubarb. You won't need everything for the little cakes, but I'm sure you'll be just like me, and you will find plenty of uses for it.
For example, you could lightly toast a slice of brioche in your oven, and top it with some of the rhubarb and fresh slices of strawberries. Mmm, the buttery taste of the brioche against the delicate acidity and sweetness of the fruits? Please, try this, because it's just too delicious not to be experienced.

Or you could add it to your favourite yogurt (along with some strawberries dices!). I know this is what I'll have tomorrow for lunch, and I just can't wait!

So you see, this "accord "works so well that you can play it with any variation. I choose to directly mix the roasted rhubarb with some strawberry puree, to obtain a delicately sweet jelly as a base. To add some texture to it, a vanilla bean macaron seems a good idea, doesn't it?

Roasted Rhubarb
1 pound rhubarb
1/4 cup sugar

Cut the rhubarb into 2 inch strips.
Toss the rhubarb with the sugar in a baking pan. Bake at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes (until it is soft).

Vanilla bean macaron
Note : the recipe indicated 1 cup powdered sugar, but this was overly sweet. I would recommend only using 3/4 cup.

1/4 cup almond flour
1 cups powdered sugar
2 egg whites
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean

In a large bowl, sift together almond flour and confectioner sugar.
Beat whites in mixer at medium speed until they form soft peaks. Add regular sugar gradually, and continue beating at high speed just until whites are thickened and form stiff peaks.
Sprinkle dry ingredients and vanilla over whites and fold in with a rubber spatula gently but thoroughly.
Place the mass in a pastry bag and pipe 3.5 inch rounds on the sheetpan lined with parchment paper. Let them dry at room temperature for an hour.
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the macaron (20 minutes for a 3.5 inch macaron).

Rhubarb and strawberry little cakes
For 4

5 oz. strawberries + 6 reserved for decoration
4 oz. roasted rhubarb
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tsp. powdered gelatin, sprinkled over 2 Tbsp water
4 macarons (as above)

Puree the strawberries, the rhubarb and the sugar together.
Melt the gelatin in the microwave for 20 seconds and mix with 2 teaspoons fruit puree before adding everything.
Pour into four 3.5-inch rounds and let in the fridge for one hour.
Once the jelly is set, unmold, top with slices of the 6 strawberries and with the macarons.


Rhubarbe rôtie

500g de rhubarbe
50g de sucre

Préchauffez le four à 180°.
Nettoyez la rhubarbe sous l'eau, et coupez-là en tronçons de 4 cm. Disposez-là dans un plat et saupoudrez de sucre. Enfournez pour 15 à 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit tendre.

Macaron vanille
Note : La recette indiquait 110g de sucre glace, mais j'ai trouvé le résultat beaucoup trop sucré. La prochaine fois, j'essaierai avec 75g.

60g de blancs d'oeufs (équivalent à 2 blancs)
25g de sucre en poudre
55g de poudre d'amande
110g de sucre glace
1/2 gousse de vanille

Dans un bol, mélangez la poudre d'amande et le sucre glace tamisé.
A l’aide d’un batteur électrique, fouettez les blancs pour les rendre mousseux. Incorporez alors le sucre en poudre au fur et à mesure, tout en continuant de battre, puis en augmentant la vitesse. Vous devez obtenir un mélange ferme et brillant.
Ajoutez alors la totalité du mélange d'amandes et les graines de vanille, et incorporez les doucement à l’aide d’une cuillère en bois ou d’une maryse.
Dressez à la poche à douille sur une plaque de papier sulfurisé et laissez sécher à température ambiante pendant 1 heure (on dit de laisser croûter).
Préchauffez le four à 150° et faites cuire 12 à 20 minutes selon la taille des macarons (20mn pour un macaron de 9 cm de diamètre).

Montage des gâteaux
Pour 4 desserts de 9 cm de diamètre

150g de fraises + 6 fraises tranchées pour la déco
100g de rhubarbe rôtie
1 cuillère à café de sucre
2 feuilles de gélatine
4 macarons (ci-dessus)

Mixez les fraises, la rhubarbe et le sucre dans un hachoir.
Faites ramollir les 2 feuilles de gélatine dans un bol d’eau froide. Egouttez-les, et faites-les chauffer (soit 20 secondes au micro-onde, soit dissoutes dans une cuillère à soupe d’eau bouillante). Mélangez avec 2 cuillères de purée de fruit, puis mélangez tout ensemble.
Coulez la préparation dans 4 cercles de 9 cm de diamètre, et faites prendre au réfrigérateur.
Une fois la gelée prise, démoulez, garnissez de tranches de fraises et surmontez le tout d'un macaron.